Harry Potter Book 5
by dominoes
Summary: My version of the fifth book, PLEASE READ and REVIEW!!!
1. Default Chapter

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1 

"Harry! Get down here!" shouted uncle Vernon.  
"What is it?" said Harry running down the stairs as fast as he could. By the sound of Uncle Vernon's voice it didn't seem like good news.

"Tonight the Waldenbergs will be coming for dinner. We're discussing a very important deal, and somehow they heard about you. No matter how many times I told them that St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys can only do so much but they still insisted that you join us for dinner. Well the point is that I want you to do nothing! Nothing at all! Not even eat! I will not stand Petunia's wonderful cooking go down your mouth! And let this be easy for both of us. DON'T YOU DARE SHOW ANY SIGN OF YOUR ABNORMALITY! You got that?" by the time he finished all the blood in him must be in his cheeks because it was as red as red could be.

"Yes Uncle Vernon." said Harry. 

"Now get out of my sight! Oh! And clear your room of all your junk!"   
Harry ran up stairs as fast as he came down. He was just as glad to get away from uncle Vernon as Uncle Vernon was for him to get away. He ran to his room and sat on his bed. He looked around. On the wall he saw the calendar he had drawn himself. It counted down the days till school started. The school Harry went to isn't like any other school. It was Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. Now why would a boy like Harry go to Hogwarts? Because Harry isn't just _any _boy. Harry is a wizard. He was a wizard who in exactly one month and two days would start his fifth year at Hogwarts. Then he looked at the corner of his room where his stack of books about potions and spells and old famous wizards and witches lay. An hour later he has stuffed all his things that might look remotely suspicious to muggles in where ever he could. Then suddenly he heard three little taps on his window. He looked around. 

"Hedwig!" Harry said. He was extremely happy to see his large snowy owl, which had been out for four entire days. He saw an envelope tied around Hedwig's leg. Instantly he recognised Ron's messy characters. "Thanks girl." he said, giving the owl a pat then untying the letter.

__

Dear Harry

How would you like to come and stay? I thought you'd want to because I know how much you dislike those muggles. Well please give me an answer as soon as possible. We can come and pick you up if your uncle and aunt won't mind (which I reckon they would because of our last visit). Bye bye  


P.S have you heard from Sirius yet?

Ron.W

A huge grin started to appear from Harry's face. He was going to stay at the Weasleys. The Weasleys are Harry's favourite family in the world. Then the grin faded. How was he going to get there? The Dursley's would certainly not take him. They most probably wouldn't let the Weasleys come to pick him up. The last time they came they blew up half of the Dursley's living room wall, and made Dudley's tongue a foot long. Then another thing came across Harry's mind that made him even more worried. Sirius. Sirius hadn't written to Harry in a while. Sirius is Harry's godfather and a convicted murderer who is innocent. His name hasn't been cleared yet so he was still on the run with a hippogriff. Harry became more worried by the second. He went to his desk and took out some parchment and a quill. And started writing straight away.  


__

Dear Sirius

Hi. Haven't heard from you in a while. Are you and Buckbeak all right? Please reply as soon as possible. I'm fine don't worry about me.

Bye!

H.Potter

Then he rushed to Hedwig's cage where she stood half asleep. 

"Sorry to wake you up. Could you please give this to Sirius?"  
She gave him an annoyed hoot and flew out the window.  
"Harry! Come down here! Quick!" shouted uncle Vernon with an impatient tone in his voice.  
Harry walked down stairs and saw all three of the Dursleys lined up at the door. All three were dressed their best. Uncle Vernon opened the door. A very flash Mercedes was parked outside. An almost bald blonde man stepped out first. Then a dark haired woman came out next. After, came out a girl about Harry's age. 

"Hello Vernon! Very glad to see you." said the man, holding out one of his hands to shake uncle Vernon's.

"Oh hello Simon." uncle Vernon said still looking at the shiny car. Uncle Vernon feels rather intimidated by anyone with a better car.  
"May I introduce my wife Laura-Mel and my daughter Linda" Simon said.  
"Pleasure to meet both of you." said uncle Vernon not taking his eyes off the car. 

The man looked at uncle Vernon then at everyone else, looking like expecting uncle Vernon to introduce everyone as well. "Ah…ahem"

"Oh! This is Petunia and Dudley." uncle Vernon said and pushed Dudley up to the front.  
Everyone shook hands. Except Harry who just stood there at the foot of the stairs. 

"And that must be Harry!" the moment Mr Waldenberg had said that. His wife and daughter both turned their head and stared at Harry. All three looked at him and up at the scar.   
"Um… hi…" Harry said giving a weak smile.

Linda Simon's daughter smiled back. Harry couldn't help noticing how pretty she was. She had very dark straight silky hair and wore a short pink dress that showed the her perfect curves. 

Uncle Vernon realised they were all staring at Harry. "Come in and Petunia will make some tea."

*

At dinner Harry was immensely hungry but followed uncle Vernon's orders and did not touch a thing. 

"Harry! You aren't eating a thing!" said Mr Waldenberg. "Here! This chicken is delicious!" he put a plump chicken leg on Harry plate.

"Oh no! He can't eat that!" uncle Vernon said wincing when the chicken touched Harry's plate. "St Brutus's said that we should starve him, food gives him energy! Once Petunia felt sorry for that boy and kindly gave him toast and he was like a crazy hyperactive monkey on speed!" he said as he took the chicken and gave it to Dudley.  
Linda was shaking her head and for a moment Harry almost thought he saw her mouth "muggles". 

When dinner was over and everyone was full, aunt Petunia left out a huge bowl of pudding and she and Mrs Waldenberg went to the living room to discuss the best moisturisers and uncle Vernon and Mr Waldenberg went to the other side of the living room to sign some contracts. Dudley grabbed as much as pudding as he could fit into his soup bowl and went to watch T.V. Harry decided to go back to his bedroom. Not long afterwards he heard a knock on his door. It was Linda.

"Hi!" She said holding two dessert dishes. "Here I bought you some pudding." she handed him a bowl. 

"Thanks."

"I thought you'd be hungr-" 

"Linda! We need to get going!" Mr Waldenberg called.  
"Well bye Harry! Pleasure meeting you." then she went downstairs.

From upstairs Harry could hear the car outside leave. 

*

The next day Harry was trying very hard to convince uncle Vernon to let the Weasleys come and pick him up. Even fake threats from Sirius wouldn't work. (Harry "forgot" to tell the Dursleys that he was really innocent.)  
"What makes you even think I would let those crazy flame-heads step into my house again? And let them blow it up?" uncle Vernon said spitting onto Harry's face. " And if u speak one more word about going into their malformed habitat, then you'll be back in that cupboard under the stairs quicker than you can say you're sorry!" then he marched off.

Harry wiped his face with the sleeves of Dudley's old size XXXL large jumper and went upstairs. Back in his room Harry saw a huge feathery lump outside the window. It took a while for Harry to realise it was Errol. Errol is the Weasleys' old owl. Harry opened the window and Errol fell inside and dropped right on Harry's bed. Errol wasn't looking so good. Harry took it to Hedwig's empty cage. And untied the letter that was attached onto it's feet.  


__

Dear Harry

I guess the reason you haven't answered yet is because your aunt and uncle said no. Well we're coming anyway! Next Sunday. See ya then.

Ron

Harry was really happy that he was going to the Weasley's but he was worried about uncle Vernon. How would he react when the Weasleys turn up? He decided not to care, so he went did some holiday homework instead. After a while when the homework got boring, his mind started to wonder off. Why hadn't Sirius replied to his letter yet? Had he really been caught? Then he thought that it had only been two days. He's taken months before. Maybe he had to change locations and Hedwig just couldn't find him. Well what ever happened Harry decided to give him more time.

Next morning Harry walked in the kitchen for breakfast. Uncle Vernon was reading The Daily Mail, aunt Petunia was cutting up pieces of oranges. Dudley was looking at the little pieces of oranges pathetically. Dudley's diet wasn't working well. He'd only lost at the most two pounds in the previous year. No one looked up at Harry. He sat down and ate his one fifth of the orange. After he had eaten orange which Harry thought was no point since it was so small and barely filled a tiny area of his stomach he went upstairs. He sat down rubbing his rumbling stomach. Then far away he saw a white snowy owl. 

"Hedwig!" shouted Harry rushing over to the window and opening it. It didn't come in or gave Harry a nip on his finger. It was just floating in midair waiting for Harry to untie the package. Then Harry realised that the owl wasn't Hedwig. It looked a bit larger and bolder. Harry untied the package and instantly the owl flew away. The package was wrapped in gold paper and on it in neat writing said "Happy Birthday Harry!" he opened it. Inside was a watch. It wasn't like any other watch Harry had ever seen. It didn't tell the time. The face was a clear blue sky with moving clouds and in the centre was a tiny golden snitch. It wasn't moving except for it's fluttering wings. Was it broken? Then he realised that there was no card and nothing that indicated who it was from. Maybe it was Sirius. Maybe he had been on the run so he couldn't leave a note. But why didn't he use Hedwig? Ron and Hermione had no excuse to not leave a note. Harry thought long and hard about how it worked and who could've sent it to him. He pocketed the watch. Roughly about an hour later another owl arrived. This one was tawny and medium sized. It had a package as well. This package was from Ron. It was a box full of tricks and lollies that had bad effects. Harry thought Ron must've got them from Fred and George. It also had a note and a card.  


__

Dear Harry

We're using dad's work owl cause Errol hasn't come back yet. He must've died on the way. (That old feathered git) Hope you've got all the letters. I would've used Pigwidgeon but Fred and George was using him. Well see you tomorrow!

Ron

Harry had just realised that Errol was still there in Hedwig's cage. He was looking a lot better. But Harry decided he should let him go when he's ready. A few hours later two more packages arrived. Hermione got him a book "Everything You Ever Needed To Know On: Broomsticks", Hagrid gave him a box full of sweets. It was getting late so he went to sleep. That night Harry had a dream about a quidditch match against doxies, he had caught the snitch. The snitch started to make a tapping sound. It was a familiar tapping sound. Then it escaped from Harry's hands. And the crowd was booing Harry. He woke up and outside the window he saw a white blur. He put on his glasses and looked again. It was definitely Hedwig this time. He ran to the window pushed it open. Hedwig came in and flew to her cage and gave Errol a hoot that said, "Get out of the way!" Errol flew up to the ceiling, missed the window and went straight into the wall then finally out the window. Hedwig had a letter and a package. He ripped open the envelope and read the letter.

Dear Harry

Sorry I haven't been writing. I have been busy changing locations. Town's people getting suspicious. I thought since your birthday was so close I decided to reply and give you your birthday present at the same time. Well I'm OK. Goodbye

Sirius

Harry unwrapped the present. Sirius had got Harry a Wand Care Kit. Harry was just as relieved and excited, as he was tired. So he went to sleep.


	2. Chapter Two

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2

A week went by making Harry more and more anxious. Sunday morning came. Harry got everything packed and ready at eleven. Then he started to pace around his room. He went and got everything piled in the middle of the room neatly. And finally after what seem like years, twelve o' clock came. He was expecting aunt Petunia's scream any minute now. But she didn't. Then he decided to wait downstairs next to the fireplace. As he was walking down the stairs he heard knocking at the front door. He was just in time to see Mr Weasley at the door and uncle Vernon slamming it shut.

"What is he doing here? I thought I made it perfectly clear to you that you weren't going! Go back into your ruddy room and stay there!" he pointed his thick finger up the stairs.

Harry went up the stairs but did not go back in his room. He just hid out of site of uncle Vernon to listen. He heard the door open. There was no shouting but it became extremely quiet. He can hear footsteps coming up the stairs. He ran in his room and closed his door. A few seconds later the door opened. It wasn't uncle Vernon but Mr Weasley! 

"Hi Harry! How are you?" said Mr Weasley smiling.

"Fine thanks." said Harry smiling back. 

"Woah dad! Wicked!" Ron said running up the stairs to join Harry and Mr Weasley. "Hi Harry!"

"Hi Ron." said Harry wondering what Ron was talking about.

"So Ron would you take those two and I'll take that and Harry, think you can handle the rest?" said Mr Weasley pointing at the trunks, bag, and boxes.

"Yea." Harry said as he picked up Hedwig's cage and his book bag.

As they made their way downstairs Harry froze at the site of uncle Vernon expecting him to march up to Harry and shout at him, but he wasn't moving at all. 

They all went out and put all Harry's luggage in the boot of a car Harry guessed it was the ministry's.

"Sorry about your aunt, uncle and cousin. A little freezing charm. It'll come off in an hour or so." Mr Weasley said as they made their way into the car. 

Harry now understood why Ron was so surprised. Mr Weasley was one of the last person Harry thought would do something like that to muggles.

Their car trip was very long. A lot longer than travelling by Floo, also a lot better.

"Where's Fred and George?" asked Harry.

"Molly wouldn't let them come. You know, after what happened after last time. She made me drive instead of going by Floo instead too.," answered Mr Weasley as his head was moving in every direction looking at all the muggle shops. 

Harry was very hungry because he hadn't had lunch, he didn't want to mention it because he didn't want to be any trouble but his stomach's loud growl gave it away.

"Ah! Here _Piepoppie_" said Mr Weasley conjuring up two very deformed pumpkin pies. "Sorry about that boys. Still haven't got the hang of it yet." he gave them a wink.

*

They arrived at The Burrow at dusk. Mrs Weasley came rushing out. She gave Mr Weasley a peck on the cheek and gave Ron and Harry a huge hug. 

"Oh hello Harry! Are you alright? Come inside. I've baked a cake." she said steering him into the house. Fred, George, Percy and Ginny were all there. They all came up to Harry and gave him warm hellos. That night they had a big dinner. 

"You all have to go to bed. We're going to leaving for Diagon Alley early tomorrow. We have to travel the muggle way because we're short of Floo. Goodnight." said Mrs Weasley after dinner.

"We're meeting Hermione there at eleven." Ron told Harry as they slowly made their way up to Ron's bedroom. "Oh and guess what?" said Ron looking excited.

"What?"

"I don't have to wear that hideous dress robe anymore! For some bizarre reason Fred and George bought me new ones! They are just like yours but instead of green it's maroon! Mum insisted I should get that awful colour." 

When they got to Ron's bedroom it was just as Harry had remembered. Everything was the same except for the extra little tadpoles. He laid down and fell asleep instantly. He had another dream about quidditch that night. This time he was playing against a bunch of fairies and he caught the snitch without it escaping. And the crowd was cheering.

*

Harry woke up next morning. Ron was still asleep. He got dressed just in time before Mrs Weasley came into the room to wake Ron up. They went down to breakfast with the rest of the Weasleys there. 

"Sorry Molly. I really need to go to work today. We've found a whole lot of bewitched washing machines and refrigigurtors." said Mr Weasley sipping his coffee making Harry choke on his toast.

*

When they got to Diagon Alley they met up with Hermione and the three of them went shopping for school supplies. 

"So Harry, has anything happened?" asked Hermione while looking up and down the shelves in the Apothecary.

"Don't think so." replied Harry studying a jar containing very funny looking goo.

When they've all finished picking everything they needed Harry went first to pay.

"Three galleons and fifteen sickles." said the saleswoman. 

Harry searched his pocket for the money and he found the mysterious watch he'd gotten for his birthday. When all of them payed Harry asked them about the watch.

"What does it do?" asked Ron examining every inch of the watch.

"Maybe you've got to push something or do something to make it work." Hermione said with a very rare I- have-no-idea look. "Maybe there is a special spell to activate it."

When they walked in Flourish and Blotts Harry saw a very unexpected person.

He walked up to her. "Linda?"

"Oh hi Harry!" she said giving him her beaming smile.

"What are you doing here?" said Harry. His head felt like it was going to explode with questions.

"Harry! I have so much to tell you. How about ice cream?"

"That'll be great!" Harry trying to give an almost as impressing smile but ended up being cheesier than a cheese-stick.

Ron gave a fake cough.

"Oh, This is Ron and Hermione." Harry introduced.

They settled down at a table at Florean Flortescue's ice-cream parlour. 

"Sundaes on me!" offered Linda.

"I like her already!" Ron said licking his lips.

She returned with four large sundaes. 

"Thanks!" said all three of them.

"Wel' 'arry I guess you wan' 'o know e'erything." she said with a big mouthful.

Harry swallowed then said "Yeah."

"Well, dad knew your uncle Vernon from work and he found out that you, you Harry Potter was living in his house. We were all keen on meeting you so dad found an excuse to go to your house. Of course he knew how anti-magic your uncle was so he said we had to act like we don't know anything about you. And it wasn't a success on getting to know you. No offence or anything but your aunt and uncle are a pain in the ass" she said making Hermione frown and Ron laugh.

"Non-taken"

"So the night turned out to be a total waste of time and instead of getting to know Harry Potter my dad now is on a deal where he is getting the very short end of the stick. Sorry I couldn't tell you that I gave you that present. Mum wouldn't even let me give it to you. She said the Dursleys would find out. Finally she gave in but she said no names." Linda paused to take another spoonful of mango sundae.

"So it was you that sent me this watch?" said Harry reaching in his pocket to get out the watch.

She nodded. "Do you like it?"

"He would if he knew what it did!" said Hermione determined to find out how the watch worked.

"Oh sorry Harry I thought since you were such a good quidditch player you'd know! Well it's no use right now." 

"Yea we've noticed." said Ron before he put a huge spoonful of sundae in his mouth.

"It only works when you are in a quidditch match. It's a Snitch Pointer. It points to the direction the snitch is in. To avoid cheating, the snitch has to be over ten feet away. " Linda explained to the three of them which were nodding as they now understand. "Guess what?" she randomly asked eagerly. " I'm going to Hogwarts this year!" 

The second she finished that sentence Fred and George came in.

"Those twins over there look awfully a lot like you Ron." she said nudging her head in Fred and George's direction.

"That's because we are Ronny's brothers!" said George as both of them came and sat down next to Ron to mess up his hair.

"OI!" shouted Ron angrily, his face reddening.

Hermione and Linda gave a little giggle. 

"Hey George! Leave Ron's hair alone!" said Fred standing up looking mad.

Everyone was surprised at this. Fred had never cared about things like that.

"Don't you tell me what to do!" shouted George pointing his finger at Fred (index finger!). 

"Don't you point your finger at me!" Fred said out-maddening George by a mile.

"Guys it's ok, really." said Ron looking a bit scared.

Then Ginny walked in.

"I've been looking everywhere for you guys!" she said before looking confused as she saw Fred and George.

George was waving his finger frantically at Fred. Fred looked like he could kill. Then he grabbed George's finger. George was in pain. Anyone could tell by the look on his face. 

"OWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

Then it happened! It happened really quickly! "SNAP!" George's finger came right off! 

Ginny squealed. Blood was everywhere. Fred was looking as evil and crazy as humanly possible. He was still holding George's finger. Hermione looked pale and was about to faint, Ginny had her hands covering her face, Ron was backing away from his brothers, Harry was shell shocked, he couldn't move or speak, Linda had her hands around her mouth. Fred started to laugh, a hollow deep laugh. Then Harry realised that Linda was smiling under her hands. 

"You guys are so gullible!" she said looking amused. Then to every one's surprise George started to laugh. Ginny looked as if she was going to cry. "It's not funny!"

"It's wa' a 'ak 'inga'" George said. She was trying very hard to stop laughing.

"It was a what?" said Hermione looking annoyed.

"A fake finger? You got us scared out of our wits! You ugly gits! " said Ron who was fuming.

"Hey how did you know it was a fake finger?" asked George.

"You can't not know when you've done it plenty before." she said her eyes were twinkling.

"Oh no, I've got to go! Nice meeting you all, bye!" she waved them goodbye and left.

Mrs Weasley came to get them not long afterwards. They went back to The Borrow by the newly bought Floo.


	3. Chapter Three

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3

The next lot of days passed quickly. It was the night before school started. After dinner, everyone was busy packing. Harry was excited. He couldn't wait to play quidditch again, to try out his Snitch Pointer. 

The next morning was the usual. Everyone was rushing up and down the house. Harry went in the kitchen and ate a few pieces piece of toast. Mr Weasley was reading the Daily Prophet. 

"Molly?" he said as he puts down the Daily Prophet.

"Yes Arthur?" said Mrs Weasley, cutting up sandwiches.

"I can't go with you to King's Cross Station. They found a whole ring of wizards selling mivrokaves that sing and edible felefones to muggles." said Mr Weasley shaking his head.

Harry tried not to laugh as he was sure he'd get a piece of pancake lodged down his throat.

"It's strangely busy at my department. Sorry about all this." 

"Oh it's alright."

After breakfast they all headed off to King's Cross Station. Mrs Weasley called three taxis like the previous year. This time it wasn't as bad. Hedwig and Pigwidgeon were asleep and Fred and George didn't set anything off. It was a quiet and a fast ride. When they've reached King's Cross Station Mrs Weasley gave them each their sandwiches. And hug them goodbye. They met up with Hermione and they got a compartment all to themselves. Harry was looking around. He was hoping that Linda would come and join them even if their compartment was jam-packed. 

Ron seemed like he was doing the same. "Hey isn't Linda coming to Hogwarts? Where is she?"

Then they saw her. She was hugging her mother. She had new shiny leather trunks with shiny gold locks. She had plaited pigtails, with little red flowers. Then she saw them. She waved. At her feet stood a small cat-like creature. Ron and Harry moved over and shoved everything aside so there was room. Ron shoots the rest a stare and they all moved. Not long after she came into their compartment. 

"Hi! Is it Ok if I sit there?" Linda pointed to the empty space next to George the rest tried so hard to make.

"Yea of course. Look at how much room there is! " said Ron

She sat down. Her luggage was bigger than anyone else's. On each of her shiny trunks there was gold lettering that says "L.F.Waldenberg". The strange creature followed her in. It had spotless snow-white fur with golden yellow flecks. It also had enormous ears and a tail like a lion's. 

"That cat is following you!" pointed Ginny.

"Oh! Neviola is not a cat. She's a kneazle!" Linda said picking up the kneazle and it startled to purr.

In a gold cage she had the big handsome snowy owl Harry had met on his birthday. She also had a very flash _Firebolt_.

"Hey would you guys like some Bertie Botts Beans?" she asked.

Then she put her hand in one of her bags and got out six packets of Bertie Bott's every flavoured beans. And she gave them to everyone. 

"Aren't you gonna have a packet?" asked Fred looking suspicious.

"Nah ate too much in the holidays. Got sick of them."

Harry's first one tasted like glue, he looked around. Everyone else didn't look like they ate a good one. Then Harry took a second one. This time it was orange peel.

"Don't you guys like them?" Linda was looking rather hurt.

"Oh no! Of course we do. We are just very unfortunate to come across all the bad ones first." said Ron eating another one and forced a smile.

Hermione however made a better excuse. "Ah…I better save them till later." she stuffed the packet into her pocket.

"Yea I should too." the rest all did the same.

When they've finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station. They all said hello to Hagrid. George and Fred went with Lee their friend. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Linda went into their own. 

Professor McGonagall came up to them and turned to Linda, "Miss Waldenberg would you like to come with me please." 

Linda followed Professor McGonagall. They made their way into the Great Hall and sat down saving a seat for Linda between Harry and Ron even if they didn't know which house she is going to be put in. The first years finally arrived. All looking nervous. The sorting ceremony started. Professor McGonagall put down a three-legged stool down and put an old dusty, patched up hat on it. Then the hat started to sing its song.

__

Come and put me on your head

The house you belong to will be said

Could you be a Gryffindor?

Task without adventure is a bore

Perhaps a Hufflepuff

Your kindness is the most tough

Maybe a Ravenclaw

Wisdom can be raw

Or a Slytherin

Cunning and full of sin

The hat sings a different song each year. Ron said only because the hat gets bored during the year. Harry thought the last year must've been busy for the hat as the song did not compare with the previous ones. 

"Abbott, Luna" 

"Hufflepuff!"

Over at the Hufflepuff table Harry could see Hannah Abbott cheering and hugging Luna who must've been her sister.

"I wonder where Linda is," said Ron stretching his neck looking around looking for Linda.

Harry did it too. She wasn't anywhere.

"Maybe Professor McGonagall disposed of her!" said Hermione sounding unusually hopeful.

"Catinus, Dominico"

A spotty boy stepped up to the hat.

"Gryffindor!"

Then a few minutes later….

"Frogghut, Jackson"

"…Ravenclaw!"

"Oh hurry up! I'm starving!" Ron said clutching his stomach.

Finally all the first years were sorted. Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"I am please to announce that this year the new students would not only be first years. Miss Waldenberg has come to Hogwarts. Now will you please, Miss Waldenberg and put on the sorting hat."

She wore a nervous smile. She picked up the hat and sat on the stool and put it on her head. 

"She's hoping she won't end up sitting with those rotten excuse for Hogwart students," said Ron after Hermione noticed how Linda was chanting something.

"………Gryffindor!" shouted the hat.

Vast cheers burst from the Gryffindor table. She went towards the Gryffindor table and sat down at the saved seat. 

Dumbledore began talking again. "Welcome back to another year here at Hogwarts. You must all be hungry. I don't want to be holding you back. Just one more word please. Eat!" he wore a smile and had same flashing eyes.

Food appeared in every bowl and plate. Drinks appeared in every cup and goblet. Harry looked up at the staff table. He saw a new face.

"Hey? Could that be this year's new Defence Against Dark Arts teacher?" Harry said studying the new face. It was a woman. She had flaming red locks and her cheeks were filled with freckles.

"Oh no!" said Ron horror struck. "That's… that's…" he let out a groan and twisted his face.

"Yes Ron!" said George grinning. The twins were sitting opposite them laughing. 

"Who is it Ron?" asked Hermione cutting her steak up.

"It's Aunt Dolly" Ron's face had turned very red. 

Ginny was next to Hermione and she was giggling uncontrollably.

"Aunt Dolly has taken a liking for Ron." said Ginny still giggling.

"What's so bad about that?" asked Harry who would've like it for his aunt to at least notice him. 

Then his question was answered. The lady stood up and started to wave like mad.

"Ronny darling! Hi!" her voice was shrilly. "It's me! Your auntie Dolly! I'm teaching here now! Ronny Bonny!"

Everyone in the Hall started to laugh. Even Harry and Hermione couldn't help it. The loudest laughter came from the Slytherin table. Ron slid down his chair making only his red hair visible. Harry stopped laughing noticing how Ron was. After they all finished eating Dumbledore spoke again, "This year we have a new teacher with us. It's the lovely professor Weasley! And-"

Ron's aunt cutted in "Ronny's aunty!" 

"Indeed." professor Dumbledore continued. "She would be taking Defence Against the Dark Arts. Now this year quidditch would be back and try-outs in some houses, the forest is still forbidden and so is doing magic in the corridors. Please head back to your dormitories and rest those heads!" 

When they were heading up the marble staircase Neviola trotted down and started to rub itself against Linda's legs. It looked very content then out of the blue it started to hiss loudly at something behind them. It was Malfoy. He shouted, "Oi! Ronny baby! Here! Come and let me give you huge dirty Weasley smooch!" he was imitating Ron's aunt Dolly kissing the air.

To Harry's surprise it wasn't Ron that reacted first but Linda. She took out her wand in a fraction of a second and use the rest of that second and said "_Moothony!_" Everyone gasp. Malfoy's mouth disappeared. You could see immense terror in his pale grey eyes. Then they heard a cold voice. 

"Not a good way of making a first impression Waldenberg." said Snape. "Sixty points from Gryffindor!" he gave Linda a stare Harry knew too well.

He steered Malfoy away and they saw all the rest of the teachers at the door. 

"I'm sorry to do this but making a mouth disappear is violating rules professor Dumbledore had just made very clear not to do, is not something you do here at Hogwarts! Detention!" said Professor McGonagall glaring her sharp eyes at Linda. Then all of them walked away to the staff room.

No one talked until they reached the picture of the fat lady "Hustle Thorns" then got inside the Gryffindor common room.

"Was what I hear true?" said George excitedly. "You made Malfoy's mouth disappear!" 

"Wow! I admire your braveness and power!" Fred said bowing to Linda.

"This is not good! A spell like that could be permanent!" said Hermione with a this-is-serious tone.

Then at those words Ron started bowing with Fred. Linda blushed a little. Hermione gave a frustrated sigh and marched up the stairs leading to the girl's dormitory. 

"I better go as well. 'Night!" then she left and followed Hermione up to the girl's dormitory.

Harry, Ron, Fred and George went up to their own dormitories after Linda. When Harry got up to his dorm, his luggage was already up there. He got out his pyjamas slipped them on. Before he knew it, he was in his bed and drifting away…


	4. Chapter Four

****

4

The next morning at breakfast they all sat down together. Ron was on the lookout for his auntie, glancing around at every direction. Ron was starting to get paranoid. What happened the previous night was still fresh on people's minds. They would've all made fun of him but they noticed that Linda was next to him. Fred and George were handing out timetables to everybody. Fred handed Harry's timetable he whispered, "Don't let Ron see this". Harry looked down at his timetable (Ron's one is the same.) and Defence Against the Dark Arts is the first thing that day. 

"Hey Harry what is the first thing in morning? Fred didn't give me mine." Ron said peering at Harry's. "NO! Why does the worst things happen to me?" then he sank into his chair again. "I'm not going."

"Ron! You can't not go!" said Hermione. "It can't be worse than last night."

"Like that wasn't bad enough" he muttered to himself.

Ron was very reluctant on going to Defence Against the Dark Arts but they managed to drag him along. 

"Helloooooooooooo sweet Bon Bon!" she said when they arrived and pinched Ron's cheeks. "Aren't you a big boy? Give me a kissy kiss kiss." she closed her eyes waiting for a kiss. 

Ron looked appalled. Lavender and Parvati were giggling with some other girls. A whole lot of Ravenclaw girls weren't giggling but laughing. Professor Weasley didn't seem to notice. Ron gulped and gave her a fast, short and brief peck. 

"Oooo you're too much"

"Oh no, you're too much!" said Ron. "Trust me." 

"Here I want Ronny and his friends to sit close to me." she said. 

There was a table that was at the front of the room that was completely empty and on it there was a sign that said, "Reserved for Ronny Darling and his fellow friends." and it was circled with a heart. Now all the boys were laughing as well. 

"Today we will be learning all about trolls. Everything about trolls. The ever so gorgeous Ronny, didn't you and your friends fight a big ugly troll in your first year? See class? Ronny here is not just a pretty face but a plucky and bright boy!" 

Ron's face was reddening furiously. Now the whole class was roaring with hilarity. The lesson wasn't that bad but it was dreadful for Ron. At every question she would ask Ron first.

"Ron? Why aren't your widdle hands up in the air? You should know. Class quiet down. He needs to think. Come on Ron!" 

After the lesson everyone was taunting him. Through the hallway and up the stairs. It was as if everyone in the whole school knew about it.

"Ickle pretty Ronny darling!" they would call.

Hermione was holding back Ron's robes all the way and saying,

"Ignore them Ron. Just ignore them!" 

It was Divination next joined by Linda. Hermione had Arithmancy. When the three of them got there, they were late.

"Ah I sensed you would be late. Please sit down." Professor Trelawney said in her usual misty voice. 

They were going to brush up on everything they've learnt during the last year. Even though Linda hadn't been there she was doing better than Harry and Ron. 

"Boy it's hot in here!" she said wiping the sweat off her forehead. 

"Yeah! Boiling!" said Ron, too wiping his forehead.

Then she reached into the pocket of her robes and got out something.

"Please don't tell!" she begged.

Before Harry had asked what she was talking about, she let out something that flew up to the ceiling and started to spin water everywhere like a water sprinkler. Harry felt a very pleasant coolness on his face. Even if his robes were soaked he was glad that Linda had let whatever she had let out. Professor Trelawney was not nearly as pleased.

"Who had let out the waterwhizzy!" asked professor Trelawney angrily.

"Professor? Tell us who had let it out!" asked Linda pretending to be innocent.

Ron chuckled, Harry forced down a smile when he saw the look on Professor Trelawney's face. She wasn't looking like her usual self. She was looking livid and she stared at Linda with loath, almost as if she knew that Linda had done it. 

"Yeah professor! Tell us who had done it and show them not to mess with you!" said Lavender gazing at professor Trelawney with admiration.

Professor Trelawney just stood there and said "Oh yes. I know who had done it. But I also saw that person will be badly punished by someone else. So I think I'll let them go as that punishment will be much worse. But that person better know not to do that ever again! Class dismissed."

After everyone was out of the classroom everyone was trying to guess who had done it.

"What was that she was going on about? About knowing! She knows who did it as much as Neville knows about pogrebins!" 

Hermione joined them. "What are you talking about?" 

They told her about what had happened during Divination. She wasn't laughing nor looking happy. 

"You better not do anything like that again. The first day you preform a very dangerous spell and now you set off a waterwhizzy! In class? You could get in a whole lot of trouble! Or cost the house a bucket of points. Or if you want me to go in deeper, you could be expelled! They wouldn't want a student that causes trouble everyday! You're lucky professor Trelawney-"

"Oh Hermione we want you just to shut up!" Ron sounded awfully annoyed at Hermione.

Harry wanted to change into a subject that would cheer everyone up.

"They're probably still looking for a mouth for Malfoy huh?" 

*

In the next few days Hermione was extremely cold especially towards Linda.

Then first time in days they saw Malfoy again. His mouth looked exactly like how it was before. He didn't seem scared of them at all. He just casually came up to them sneered and said, "Why look so distraught Granger? Finally looked at yourself in the mirror?"

As usual Crabbe and Goyle was beside Malfoy sniggering away.

"You know what Malfoy? I'm working on the arm snapping curse and since it's awfully painful it's hard to find someone to practise on!" said Linda narrowing her eyes on Malfoy who twitched and then went away.

After they stopped laughing at the look on Malfoy they headed to Herbology.

"Hey haven't you got detention Linda?" asked Harry.

"Yeah. Got it tomorrow night. Polishing in the trophy room…"

Ron gave a shudder. "Oh I wouldn't want to be you!"

At Herbology they and their partners have to plant rosmarices. Plants that spray strong perfume that stings onto your face when it feels threatened. If the perfume stays too long you'll be growing rosmarices on your face. Harry went with Hermione; he wanted to convince her that Linda wasn't that bad but she ignored everything he said and only spoke to give instructions. After the lesson they went outside to meet up with Ron and Linda who had done so well that they got dismissed first. 

"Professor Sprout should've given you two house points too. Your rosmarices looked like real stingers!" Linda said not doing a good job of making casual conversation.

"Well we didn't did we?" Hermione firmly said before she paced off.

*

Later in Transfiguration Linda made Hermione detest her more by being the first one to change her stool into a couch.

"Well done Miss Waldenberg! Fifteen points to Gryffindor." 

Hermione growled at the site of Professor McGonagall giving Linda the uncommon smile she usually would only give to her. Since Ron blew up his stool he had to stay behind to clean up. The three of them waited outside. When Ron finally came out they found themselves late for Charms.

After a long run they found out that they went the wrong way. Finally they arrived to find professor Flitwhick angry. "Do you four have a good excuse for being so late?" the very short professor looked up at them. "I didn't think so! Five points off each!"

"This is your fault Linda! Since you finished first you should've helped him!" Hermione said taking a seat. 

"I couldn't! Professor McGonagall sent me to do a few things in the staff room!"

"Whatever!"


	5. Chapter Five

****

5

Next morning when Harry woke up Ron was still fast asleep. He got dress and went down to the common room. Everyone was excited about something he didn't know why until he saw the notice. 

**__**

Quidditch try-outs.

Two chasers and a keeper needed for the Gryffindor inter-house quidditch team.

Tryouts on at noon Saturday 20th of September. 

Then Ron came down. 

"Hey Ron you should try!" asked Harry showing Ron the notice.

"Awesome!" then the smile slowly faded. "How am I going to play with my Cleansweep? By the time I rise high enough in the air everything would've ended!"

Ron had a point but Harry didn't mention it.

That morning they had Potions first. They lined up outside. They had it with Ravenclaw. 

"Oh no!" said Ron who went and hid behind Harry and Hermione.

They saw his aunt Dolly. 

"Hi sweetheart!" she saw Ron's bright red hair, which stood out. "Awww… look at that! Isn't he just a cupcake?" 

"You know Harry, I never thought I'd said this but I wish Snape just hurry up!" Ron whispered so quietly Harry had to try very hard to hear. 

Everyone was sniggering so loudly Harry started to question why his aunt never notices.

Then to Ron's delight Snape arrived.

"Bye bye Ronny! You gotta go and learn some potions swotions!" she said waving goodbye.

"Argh! Out of my hundreds aunties and uncles they just had to hire aunt Dolly!" 

That lesson they were making healing potions. Linda finished first. Snape looked at it. It was perfectly done, thick and purple.

"Ten points from Gryffindor!" said Snape.

"What?" shouted Linda.

"Are you questioning me?"

"Yes! What did I do?"

"Thirty points more from Gryffindor!"

"That's not fair!"

"SILENCE! One more word out of your ignorant little mouth fifty more points would go!"

Linda didn't say a word for the rest of the lesson, instead she just kept glaring at Snape with hatred. 

"That Snape! That greasy haired ba-"

Before she could finish Hermione quickly said "Linda!" looking around making sure no one heard it.

Then to everyone's surprise Linda blew up her cauldron. 

"Oops!" she said covering her mouth. "I was trying to stir it! Honest!"

"Detention! And sixty points from Gryffindor! Even that fool Longbottom wouldn't stir with a wand!" shouted Snape wiping the purple potion from his face. "Don't you dare leave this room until you clean every single speck of this pathetically done potion up!"

After potions they had History of Magic. Professor Binns kept going on and on and Hermione was taking her notes as usual.

Linda came in right in the middle of the class. Professor Binns barely looked up then continued reading from the textbook.

"History of magic is awfully boring isn't it?" whispered Linda yawning.

Harry gave a weak nod. 

"And in fourteen hundreds Kinkoric Latosar was made the minister of magic. One hundred years later he retired, making him the longest lasting minister yet. The next minister was Hetwols Abalstord-"

Linda gasp and her hands shot up.

"Yes Waldenberg." he said with an impatient tone.

"You said a bad word professor!"

Professor Binns chose to ignore this and everyone's laughs and went on with his droning voice. 

*

Before they knew it was the twentieth of the September. The Gryffindor common room was full of brooms and buzzing with enthusiasm. 

"Ron are you sure you don't want to try out?" asked Linda. "Oh come on! You are keen though aren't you? I'm going to be trying out as well."

Then Harry thought of something, "since I'm not trying out, you can use my firebolt."

"Alright then, thanks a whole bundle Harry!"

Harry ran up followed by Ron to get his broomstick. They all went down to the quidditch pitch afterwards. Harry wished them both good luck and Hermione just wished it to Ron, and sat down. 

They split the people according to which position they want to play in, then into four teams. Ron wanted to be a keeper and Linda wanted to be a chaser. And they are playing a game of quidditch without beaters and a seeker. Linda and Ron got put in different teams. And unfortunately they had to play against each other. They started. Linda was surprisingly good, she had great control of her broom and had great velocity only because of her hands, that meant catching the ball was the problem. She managed to catch it a few times and every time she caught the quaffle it would be sure to get through Ron, the times she can't catch it means the ball would usually fall into the other team's hands. 

"Look Harry. Seamus is quite good." Hermione was looking at Ron's competition. 

From the stands Harry could see Ron looking intense and focussing on the game. Then someone came into the pitch that would make it all very difficult: his aunt Dolly.

"Hi Ronald! I've come to watch you!" she would shout, Ron ignoring her just made her louder. "You're doing so well! Come on! Show them some Weasley skills! Yeah! Go Ron! Go Ron!" she kept on cheering until she trial ended.

Everyone was howling with amusement. Then Harry could've sworn Linda wasn't going as fast and the throw was a feeble one and Ron without effort caught it.

"Yeah! Everybody look at that dazzling boy! Whoo Hoo!" yelled Dolly.

Then the whistle blew and the game ended and the next two teams went up in the air. When Ron touched the ground his aunt gave him a huge hug that seemed like it was more of a squeeze, like he won the whole game.

"Oh how could they not put you on the team? You're a natural!"


	6. Chapter Six

****

6

They stayed and watched the other teams play. Harry looked at all the keepers. There was only one person that was just as good as Ron. That was Dylan Quapulse. A tall, dark haired surly sixth year. Harry knew that he should be thinking and hoping that Ron would be their next keeper but he couldn't help but notice that Dylan was better. Hermione had noticed too.

"Look at Quapulse…" said Hermione in Harry's ear.

Later professor McGonagall and Madame Hooch were discussing who is going to be on the team. After about fifteen minutes or so they made their discission.

"Madame Hooch and I have made our choices and would like to thank all those who participated and put in all their effort. Madame Hooch would you like the pleasure to announce who had made it on the Gryffindor quidditch team?" 

"Thank you professor McGonagall. The two chasers are-" Madame Hooch looked down at a piece of paper. "The two new chasers will be Seamus Finnigan and Linda Waldenberg. And the keeper will be Dylan Quapulse!"

Everyone applauded.

"Congratulations" said Ron miserably to Linda.

"That wasn't fair! How could they not put my Ronnikin Pumpkin in the team? I'm going to go and talk to professor McGonagall and Madame Hooch! You just wait here with your widdle friends!" Professor Dolly seemed furious. 

"No!" Ron said grabbing his aunt's robes. "It's alright. I'm fine. He obviously was a better keeper than I was." he said not looking like he meant one word.

Ron was not his usual self that night. He was low-spirited and depressed.

Ron was still gloomy no matter how hard the three of them tried to cheer Ron up. He just said he wanted to go sleep early.

"I do hope he'll brighten up tomorrow." said Hermione with a bit of Ron's sadness rubbed onto her.

Over the next few days Ron was still down in the dumps but he did manage a weak chuckle in transfiguration when Linda was supposed to turn a piece of bark into a clam, but instead "accidentally" turned it into a hopping gnome, it hopped on professor McGonagall's head and wouldn't come off. 

One morning Harry was woken up by George telling him to go to the quidditch pitch for quidditch practise. Harry got dressed and went down. Everyone was there already. Professor McGonagall is there as well. 

"I will be watching today's practise and decide who would be the new captain."

The practise with the new team went very well. His Snitch Pointer amused the whole team. Harry caught the snitch three times before practise was over. 

"I've decided that the new captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team will be your choice. When you've all decided then the new captain will come and see me in my office."

She left with those words. The whole team looked puzzled.

"She's never done that before!" said Alicia.

"Well we could just vote. Majority wins." Linda suggested. 

The team all agreed. 

Linda carried on, "First who wants to be captain?"

There were only one person's hands in the air. It was Dylan Quapulse. Harry couldn't think how he could be captain. He was the quietest person there. Harry hasn't even heard his voice yet. But he was a very good keeper.

"OK…well there's no point in voting is there?" Linda was looking around making sure there were no more hands. "Alright then! The new captain is Dylan!"

Dylan showed a little smile then strode off to professor McGonagall's office.

A few more days passed nothing happened except if you call Linda setting a whole cage full of billywigs in Care of Magical Creatures and getting the whole class getting stung and everyone levitating eventful. Ron was no longer gloomy. The first quidditch match against the Slytherins was coming closer and closer. Dylan wasn't a bad captain at all, even though his talking was very minimal. At every practise he would have new information on the next team they would be playing against next, at that time it was the Slytherin team. Harry also found his tips very useful. Strangely George would always rush to the bludger that is near Linda. Harry didn't realise himself being suspicious and wishing he could be a beater. The weather was becoming more and more windy. There hadn't been any rain and Harry was worried that there would be a big storm on the day of the match.

*

That weekend they had their trip to Hogsmeade. Linda and Ron spent half their money in Honeydukes and the other half in Zonko's Joke Shop. They both only had a knut left for The Three Broomsticks, so Harry decided he would buy them all butterbeer. 

"Harry!" it was Hagrid.

"Hi Hagrid!"

"Why haven't yeh all been teh visit me at me cabin?" Hagrid sat down taking two seats next to Hermione.

"Sorry Hagrid." Ron said taking a sip of butterbeer. 

"Yeah we've never really found the time." Harry explained.

"Ah it's alrigh'." Hagrid said giving Ron a smack on his back that almost made him spit all the butterbeer out. "Look I better get goin' now. Yeh all will come visit soon righ'?"

"Yeah" All of them nodding.

"I've gotta go back the school an' help Filch work ou' som'in. Bye!" then he walked out. 

A few minutes passed then Fred and George walked in. George was carrying a kitten. It was very little and had a soft red coat. They had worried looks on their faces. 

"Oh cute!" squealed Linda. "Is it yours?" patting the little kitten.

"Yea…sorta…"

"What is it called?" asked Hermione joining Linda patting and wooing the kitten.

"Ah… Ginny…"

"Never knew you liked our lil' sister that much" joked Ron. 

"Um…it…well we didn't name it…"

Ron looked back and forth finally catching on, "that's Ginny? What did you guys do to her?"

The kitten was meowing wildly like it was trying to tell them something.

"Well… it all started with one of our trick food…it was our newest invention." said George still holding the kitten who stopped meowing.

"Meowlk!" Fred said looking excited more than worried. "It was a special milk that transforms the drinker into a cat, temporarily!"

"Then what is there to be worried about? It's going to come off isn't it?" said Linda casually.

"Yeah it was supposed to come off in about an hour or two," then George lowered his voice into a whisper. "but she's been like that for two days!"

"Boy is mum going to slaughter you two!" Ron said tutting.

Harry wondered if this was something like the finger thing they did. 

"I think I might know a solution." Linda was looking up in the air and tapping her chin with a finger. "Did you guys use Horn of a Bicorn for you main ingredient or Lionfish?"

"Horn of a Bicorn." both of them said together.

"And you put in milk?"

"Yeah. We had to."

"Oh no! That's where you went wrong! Horn of a Bicorn can't be mixed with milk or it could be permanent."

"There's no solution?" Fred was starting to look worried as well.

"Nope!" shaking her head.

"How come I've never heard about that?" said Hermione trying very hard to try and remember if she's read it somewhere.

"Oh no! Mum _is_ going to slaughter us!"

"Come George! Let's go use up all of our dung bombs and filibuster firework so they don't go to waste before we die." Fred said miserably.

Then with Ginny, they left. Ron was looking very concerned. Not long after they headed back to Hogwarts. After two games of chess and five games of exploding snap they went down to dinner.

"Hey!" Hermione said excitedly and pointing. "There's Ginny!"

Ron went ran and hugged Ginny. 

"Ron! Get off me!"

"Oh Ginny how did they do it?"

"Ron! You're really freaking me out!" she looked at Ron like he was a stranger. "What are you talking about?"

Harry saw Fred and George sniggering at the opposite end of the table.

"Ah…Ron?" Linda said tapping on Ron's shoulder. "That kitten thing…you didn't really believed Fred and George did you?" said Linda in an awkward voice.

"What? Oh! Of course I knew! I didn't believe a word!" Ron blushed and let go of Ginny.

Hermione was blushing a bit too

"Roony Ronny!" Dolly Weasley shouted from the staff table. The Hall filled with hilarity and as always, she didn't notice. "Have you tried the yummy wummy plum pie?" 

Harry thought the laughter couldn't get louder but somehow it managed. Some very unnaturally forced ones came from the Slytherin table.


	7. Chapter Seven

****

7

A week passed and again the interesting things that happened revolved around Linda. One day in Divination they were looking in their crystal balls.

"Oh oh oh!" Linda said eagerly. "I see something professor!"

"What is it?" said professor Trelawney with irritation.

"I see a grim!" at those words the class gasped.

"Oh really?" she didn't seem as pleased as usual when someone says they seen something horrible.

"Yeah! And I see a person as well!" 

"Who is it? Who is it?" Parvati and Lavender came to their table with great excitement.

"I can't really see clearly… it's a bit foggy… oh! It's a woman! And she's got big glasses… and she's a thin woman…she's wearing a shawl…wearing a lot of chains and beads… and a huge amount of rings and bangles around her hands…" The whole class looked at professor Trelawney. " Do you know who the woman can possibly be professor?"

Professor Trelawney glowered at Linda. "Thirty points from Gryffindor for mocking a teacher!" 

"Hope we win the quidditch match against the Slytherins. It's the only way to replace the points I'd lost." said Linda after Divination. 

*

Before Harry knew it the quidditch match against the Slytherins was right under Harry's nose. Literally. Harry was in bed and now unexpectedly he's in his red quidditch robes and had flown higher than anyone else. He decided he needs to catch up with everyone else by listening to Lee.

"Ahhhhhhhhh! Great dodge made my Waldenberg" said Lee the commentator. "UGH!" 

Harry looked around. The Slytherin beater had just hit a bludger right into Seamus Finnigan's face and apparently the beater had hit it hard. The whistle blew and the two teams lowered to the ground. The Slytherins are giving each other high fives. Madame Pomfrey rushed over and took Seamus away immediately. Dylan had called the team into a huddle.

"That's not good. Only two chasers." Dylan was looking at the ground. He looked awfully worried.

"Let's just go back into that pitch and play some quidditch! There is no use huddling." Linda said breaking away from the rest. Everyone had no choice and went off too. Malfoy had a nasty smirk on his face.

Harry thought he'd fly above it all to avoid the supposably accidental blows and collisions. He looked at his Snitch Pointer and the little snitch was floating southwest and that was the direction he went. Then he saw the glint of gold he'd been searching for. He eyed it and flew towards it then he was feets away then Draco Malfoy started to come in from the front. He was going to catch the snitch. Then "thump" Linda dashed passed and Malfoy was knocked off his broom. She gave him a quick smile and went off again. Harry look at his snitch pointer once more. This time he couldn't see it so it must have meant that it was close by. He squinted his eyes. Then there it was below his feet. He dived straight down and almost caught it when it did a sharp left turn. Harry zigzagged through the air. The snitch had never been this hard to catch. Then Malfoy came up again. He had a red bump that showed up well on his pale forehead. The snitch disappeared the moment Harry had taken his eyes off the snitch to look at Malfoy. Then he saw Malfoy diving towards the ground, he decided he would follow. Then, "THUMP!" a bludger hit him right in the forehead and making him loose his balance and falling onto the ground. Harry could hear Malfoy howling with laughter above him. Then he saw it! A sparkling thing was right in front of his eyes. He made a grab for it and felt the joyful feeling he had missed of a fluttering snitch in his closed palms.

"Thanks Malfoy!" Harry said standing up with the snitch proudly in his hands.

"Annnnnnnnnnnd Harry Potter catches the snitch! Gryffindor wins the game two-hundred and thirty to forty!" commentated Lee.

Massive cheers erupted from the crowds. 

"Oh Harry! We won!" said Linda jumping on him and giving him a hug. Then she walked over to Malfoy who was still sitting on the ground and looking at his scratched knees alone. It was probably because the whole team was mad at him for being knocked off a broom by a girl. 

That night after dinner the Gryffindor common room was filled with celebration. 

Everyone cheering and someone conjured some very loud music. 

"What. Are. We. Celebrating?" yelled Harry over the deafening music.

George seemed like the only one that could hear Harry, " I know we are celebrating something, Lee was going on about it at lunch but George and I wasn't paying any attention … Oi! Alicia! What are we celebrating?"

"Huh?" Alicia cupped her hands on her ears.

"Why are we CELEBRATIING?" Fred said in a louder voice.

"I don't know! Just enjoy the party!"

"OK! You heard Harry! Just enjoy the party!" Then he went off.

Almost instantly Linda ran to him "Apparently they are celebrating our new team and our victory and of course kicking slytherin's slimy asses!" then as quickly as she said those words she walked off.

Harry looked around. Everyone was dancing. Even Ron and Hermione were dancing. He wanted to ask Linda to dance with him but she was already dancing with George. He went over to the food table and waited until she finishes the dance with George. After seven peanut butter and jam tarts and two passion fruit muffins the song finally ended. He walked over to Linda then in front of him came Dylan. Before he knew it the next song started and Linda was dancing with Dylan. Everyone wanted to dance with Linda. George, Dylan, Fred, George again, (to Hermione's dismay) Ron, Seamus, Dean, George again. They all seem faster than Harry to reach her. Then he gave up. 

"Er… Harry?" came a little voice. ""Would you um… like to dance…?" It was an over-blushed Ginny.

Harry didn't have a bad night. He danced with heaps of girls but not quite as many boys Linda had danced with. Slowly more and more people went up to their dormitory and went to sleep. Harry, Ron and Hermione were one of the last ones left. 

"Oh my!" whispered Hermione looking at the far left corner of the common room. 

It was the most darkest and hidden spots in the common room. Harry and Ron's head both turned. In that dark little corner sat George and Linda snogging. Harry felt something between sadness and jealousy. But of course he didn't want to admit that to himself.

"It's late I should go to bed now." Harry didn't want to watch.

Next morning Linda didn't turn up for breakfast and turned up late for Charms. She sat down in the empty seat behind Harry. 

"Sorry. Had a late night." she whispered to them while professor Flitwick was calling out the roll. 

A week passed, Harry hadn't noticed that he wasn't talking to Linda. Every now and then he would see Linda and George cuddling. He feels extremely awkward when he sees them together. 

"Hey Harry!" Linda called at one dinnertime. Then she moved to the seat next to him. "You've been acting different these days… is everything alright?"

"Yea I'm fine. Sorry about that." said Harry giving a feeble grin. 

"It's alright." she grinned. Harry had forgotten how pretty she was until now. "Hey? Have you tried these delicious mango pastries?" 


	8. Chapter Eight

**8**

Christmas was a week away and as usual Harry signed up to stay for holidays. Ron had to go home because his aunt Dolly is staying at the Burrow and she wanted him to be there as well. Hermione also had to go because her parents wanted to spend this Christmas with her since she had spent the last three here at Hogwarts. Linda stayed because her parents are on business trips so they couldn't take care of her. That Sunday morning the three of them (Linda was somewhere with George) went to visit Hagrid. 

" Where's yer other friend?" asked Hagrid while he was pouring them tea.

"She's probably coping with my brothers tongue down her throat." said Ron causally.

Harry felt awfully uncomfortable at those words. So he quickly tried to change the subject.

"Hagrid?" he asked hoping he would think of a question in time.

"Yea?"

"Ah…can I have some more tea?" quickly Harry drank all the tea in his cup. 

He wished he had said something else because all the tea in his stomach made him sick.

"Wha's got into yeh Harry? Alright," Hagrid said pouring Harry more tea. " but I wouldn't drink it so fast." 

The afternoon at Hagrid's went by. The sun went down. Back in the Gryffindor common room, as they would expect, George and Linda was kissing.

"You'd think they can do no more than only that" sniggered Ron. 

Harry chuckled unenthusiastically. As he went up the stairs up to his dormitory Neviola came and started to brush her body against Harry's legs. He picked it up. It started to purr loudly. 

"You picked up Neviola!"

Harry looked up. Linda was by the foot of the stairs.

"Sorry. Was I not supposed to pick her up?" Harry questioned as he put Neviola down.

"Oh it's fine by me to cuddle her, I give her a little snuggles all the time, but every other time someone else has tried to pick her up she goes berserk. You must have something that makes her trust you Harry."

"Really?" Harry tried to sound happy and excited but the tone that came out was the opposite. 

"Alright then. Well goodnight Harry!"

"Night."

*

Early next day Ron and Hermione had to leave for home. 

"Hope you have a wonderful Christmas Harry! I'll send you your present at Christmas eve!" Hermione also said a whole lot of other things but Harry was too busy trying to hear Ron talking as well. 

"Can you send Hedwig over at Christmas eve? I need her for delivering your present. I don't think Errol can make it. Oh no! Aunt Dolly! It makes me shudder every time I think about the time she-"

"It wouldn't be a bad Christmas Harry! Just because Malfoy and his numb brained cronies will be staying…maybe it will be that bad-"

Harry was walking them to the great entrance hall to meet professor McGonagall. Both of them were talking so fast and walking so fast that Harry could barely keep up. 

"I don't think I have forgotten anything…got my books, my notes and my-"

They reached professor McGonagall, there was a little crowd of other kids. 

"I guess we're early then."

After about fifteen minutes the rest of the students arrived.

"Hey. Have you guys seen Linda?" George asked looking around.

"Nope sorry."

All right then…" he went off.

"Well bye Harry! See you when I get back!" Hermione said.

"Yea bye bye Har-"

"Hey!" 

They all turned their heads and saw Linda coming down the stairs.

"Sorry I'm late!" she said giving Ron and Hermione a hug. "See ya guys!"

Harry decided he would go back to his dorm now. "Bye now." he knew that Linda and George would start kissing soon.

Surprisingly Linda followed.

"Aren't you going to say bye to George?"

"Hey you want to get breakfast?"

And that's what they did. The whole time at the long tables Harry wondered why Linda didn't care about George going. 

Then he heard a loud fluttering sound and recognised it immediately, it was the owl post. Harry was shocked to see Hedwig flying among them. Harry quickly caught the letter before it was dropped in his bowl of cereal. It was Sirius wanting to know when the next visit to Hogsmeade is so he could see Harry. 

"Do you know when will we go to Hogsmeade again?" Harry asked Linda.

"Um…I think it's just after Christmas, why?" 

Harry never thought about telling Linda about Sirius. To the rest of the world he is still a serial murderer on the loose. He wondered if he should risk scaring Linda and spreading the word.

"Oh no reason in particular." he said making it sound cool. He decided that since it's after Christmas, Ron and Hermione would've been back so he would wait until then.

"Hey? Let's play wizard chess!"

There was nothing better to do so Harry agreed. After breakfast they went up to the Gryffindor common room. Linda lent Harry a set of shiny black chessmen, she had pearly white ones herself. Harry was amazed at how good Linda was at chess.

"Winning five times in a row is starting to get boring…" she said yawning. "No offence Harry. Let's sneak into the Slytherin common room and set off dung bombs!" she stood up hastily.

"What? How? Can we? No I don't think it's a good idea." Harry couldn't help but sound like a wimp. He thought sneaking into another house's common room will be a big offence and even if it isn't, he wondered if it was even possible.

"Yeah…it's not a good idea…Lindsay got expelled when she did that…" she lowered her voice.

"Lindsay?"

"Yea. She's my big sister. She's in New Zealand looking after the Antipodean Opaleyes." Linda explained "Somehow she got into the Slytherin common room a few years back and she got expelled. I never knew why she did it, I would like to think she did it for a evil reason." 

*

That night Harry laid in bed. He couldn't go to sleep, at the back of his head he kept thinking that he's forgetting something. Something important. 

"Voldemort!" he whispered loudly to himself. Before he realised that he was the only one in the dorm he looked around making sure he didn't wake anyone up. 

How could I have not thought about Voldemort? Maybe because of all the distractions. He's alive and he might be as strong as ever. No one has mentioned anything about him, could he have been defeated once again? There were so many questions he wanted answers to. Then pictures of everything that has happened over the last few years flashed in his mind. The philosopher's stone, the basilisk, Peter Pettigrew escaping, Voldemort coming back to life, looking at the dead Cedric, everything. He felt uncomfortable so he got up. He didn't want to think about all this. He decided that maybe he should go and have a little walk, he had to send Hedwig to Ron. When he reached the Owlery he saw a figure there. He quickly got behind a wall and carefully looked at who was there.

It was whispering something to the owl. It didn't take long for Harry to realise that the owl was Linda's owl.

She turned around and was stunned at the site of Harry. 

"Oh! Harry…I can explain."

It was Linda.

"Explain what?"

"…" she looked at him strangely and then looked like she understood something, "ah…why I'm up, you can't sleep either?"

"Yeah. Flashbacks, what was your reason?" said Harry beginning to feel confused

She paused for a little while.

"What did you have flashbacks of?"

Harry couldn't help but to trust her, he told her everything that has happened on their way back to the Gryffindor common room. From the philosopher's stone to Moody. It took two hours for him to finish. 

"I told you my reason, now you have to tell me why you're up!"

She yawned. "We should really get some sleep. Goodnight Harry, or should I say good morning." she smiled sleepily then slowly walked up the stairs leading to her dormitory. 

Days went by, Harry and Linda played countless rounds of wizard chess and every time Linda won except when Harry's set of chessmen got sick of losing and smashed Linda's set into pieces. 

*

"Harry! Harry! Wake up! Presents!"

Harry opened up his drowsy eyes. Linda sat down beside Harry's bed dropping a whole heaps of presents next to another heap, which was twice as small. He guessed that was his pile.

"Come on! Get up! I don't know how you can sit there looking at all these still wrapped presents!" she began ripping a small parcel open. "A bracelet!" she gasped. 

Harry took a look at the bracelet; it was gold with a kneazle pendant. 

Harry got out of bed and started opening his presents. Exactly one hour later the Gryffindor boy's dormitory was full of messy wrapping paper, ribbons and boxes. Harry looked around. Then it something struck him.

"Hey? You're not supposed to be in here!"

She giggled. "Sorry. I'll see you down at breakfast then." she waved her wand, "_Omarish_!" then all the wrapping paper disappeared. She waved it again, "_Heldendentate_!". All her presents flew up and followed her out the door. 

Harry looked down at his presents; a dead half eaten rat from Hedwig, a badly made Malfoy dart board from Ron, a batch of pear muffins and a navy blue sweater from Mrs Weasley, the book _Everything You Ever Needed To Know On: Famous Witches and Wizards _from Hermione, a box full of Dragon figurines from Hagrid, a ball of lint from the Dursleys and a letter apologising about a present that will be coming soon from Sirius. 

A while later he went down the breakfast tables and he did not see Linda anywhere. He sat down at a seat and after ten pancakes and three eggs he saw her coming in.

"I'm so sorry. I remembered I had to do something." she took a slice of bacon. 

That afternoon Linda kept appearing and then going off again. She never stayed long enough for Harry to ask her what she had to do but just long enough for a hello. 

"What have you been doing these days?" Harry finally asked on the last day of the Christmas holidays.

"Um…nothing really, I'm sorry I kept going away but it's just something I have to do."

From that time on every time Harry asks that she would change the subject.

Ron and Hermione came back the next day. Harry found the time to tell them what has been going on.

"You don't find it suspicious Harry? She must be up to something!" Hermione said decisively. "Let's follow her!"

"No! what if it's nothing, then we'll look like idiots!" Ron crossed his arms and shook his head. 

Hermione sighed, "fine! Not like I need you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."


End file.
